Re: Skinners Feast - here is part of a diary entry by Henry Machyn (mid 16th century), this part referring to Skinners Feast, other guilds mentioned also. The connection may be through the City of London?

cj wrote:Re: Skinners Feast - here is part of a diary entry by Henry Machyn (mid 16th century), this part referring to Skinners Feast, other guilds mentioned also. The connection may be through the City of London?

'I well remember that the goods were protected from clutching hands by a high mesh barrier with only two small gaps at low level, through which "holes" we were supposed to be served. Taller boys would "gate-crash" by reaching over the top, hence the continuous wail of "serve the hole".'

In a letter to Buck written while resting behind the lines in 1917 <b>Edmund Blunden (Col A 09-15, Senior Grecian)</b> said of the then Headmaster, 'I am sure his tyranny knows no bounds. I expect he will forbid Mrs Flowers to serve the hole next.'

Last edited by Rex on Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

On 'Skinner's Feast' I'm less sure of my ground. But the Skinners' Company used to hold (probably still does) a big event on Corpus Christi Day each year, involving a procession to the church of St Mary Aldermary. Traditionally this procession was led by the ten current CH pupils presented by the company. After 1891, when the Skinners' presentation rights were cut down to two boys and two girls, the custom developed that the procession was led by the two male presentees and eight other CH boys. (Where the girls fitted in I don't know.) After the church service the boys were given lunch, presumably as part of a bigger lunch/banquet/feast/whatever, and were then taken off for 'entertainment', paid for if necessary by the company. I suppose this might be called the Skinners' Feast (in which case 'Skinner's Feast' is a slip of the pen or a printer's error). Does it make sense in context?

(This is the merged initial post from a separate topic, joined with the main topic at David's request. David - feel free to edit/delete as appropriate - JT)
I am doing some work on a letter written by a Horsham Old Blue in 1917. It includes a lot of Housey slang, most of which has been deciphered by either Rex Sweeny or myself. However, we are defeated by five, as follows:

â€œdish-gravyâ€ - no idea.
â€œGrecian's Boysâ€ â€“ the forerunners of swabs, maybe?
â€œSouthwaterâ€ â€“ this is the name of a local village, but why should it feature in Housey slang?
â€œSkinner's Feastâ€ â€“ the Skinnerâ€™s Company has long been associated with C.H. and that company has an annual Skinnerâ€™s Feast. But why should the term be featured in Housey-slang?
â€œShaking Neckâ€ which appears in the context of â€œthe disadvantages of Shaking Neck.â€ We have no idea on this one, either!

There is a re-print booklet in existance which goes right back to London days. I was shown it by one of the girls in Coleridge B a couple of years ago at a Coleridge B re-union. Unfortunately, I forget to take details of it for futire reference.

Sorry, I should have given the context. These expressions come from Edmund Blunden's Letter to the Editor of The Blue in 1917, which records the meeting of five Old Blues, all officers in the Royal Sussex Regiment, at an estaminet "somewhere in France.". The relevant part reads as follows:

...and then Tice would weigh out deep thoughts on Housey-slang, dish-gravy , Grecian's Boys , and the names carved under the Civic Chair on the dais ; on Southwater,Skinner's Feast, "Serve the hole, please, Mrs. Flowersâ€”Threepennyworth of Bulldogs for a Master "; the disadvantages of Shaking Neck , and scarcity of Baked Taffs; the pleasantries passed when workmen were repairing the asphalt, and many other things.

I have underlined the ones that Rex and I cannot identify. Incidentally "Serve the hole...." refers to the Tuckshop; "Baked Taffs" are, of course, baked potatoes, while the shouting at workmen appears to be the ineradicable and none too pleasant custom of Housey boys shouting rude remarks at bockers (sorry, workmen!).

Incidentally, I have come across a lovely story about Housey, London in the 1860s. It seems that the dining hall there included an organ, as now (thanks to Hertford Old Blues) does that at Horsham. On a particular day the Hall Warden banged his gavel and then read out some disciplinary notice which irked the student body. He ended and then (fatally) paused momentarily before knocking once more for the Grecian to read Grace. The organist, who was awaiting the end of Grace, immediately - and quite deliberately - played a very loud chord, whereupon the entire student body turned to the warden's desk and unsmiling - and as one - sang a very loud and perfectly rendered "Amen." The real Grace came as a complete anti-climax.